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Sunday, November 14, 2010

My Giants NLCS Reaction Story

For my journalism class, I wrote a reaction story to the Giants winning the NLCS and advancing to the World Series. Just for fun, I am going to post it here. This is more professional than my previous posts in that it follows AP Style to the tee. I will have a World Series Giants reaction soon, as that assignment is due Wednesday. Enjoy!

De Anza College Excited As Giants Win Their Fourth Pennant in San Francisco

Fans have dubbed the Giants’ 2010 season as torture, but after the team’s thrilling victory against the Philadelphia Phillies that secured its trip to the World Series, the Giants’ faithful at De Anza College are feeling pleasure and excitement rather than anguish.

The clinching game for the Giants in the National League Championship Series, game six, in Philadelphia, certainly had its torturous moments. With the Giants clinging to a one-run lead, courtesy of Juan Uribe’s go-ahead home run in the top of the eighth inning, Giants’ closer Brian Wilson allowed fans to breathe a sigh of relief, as he struck out Phillies’ slugger Ryan Howard with a gutsy back-door slider on a 3-2 count to end the game.

Diana Urkumyan, third-year journalism and public relations major at De Anza, started following the Giants this year in the midst of the playoff run, but experienced the emotional rollercoaster like so many die-hard fans. While she was nervous in the bottom of the ninth inning, that anxiety soon turned to joy after Wilson recorded the final out.

“I am super-excited,” Urkumyan said. “I am so proud of them.”

The beginning of the game also had some tense moments.

Cecilia Deck, journalism instructor at De Anza, also fell victim to the emotional ups and downs of Giants baseball, feeling nervous when Jonathan Sanchez and Chase Utley engaged in an altercation in the bottom of the third inning after Sanchez hit Utley on the back with a fastball.

“I was scared something terrible would happen because I’m a new baseball fan,” Deck said. “I didn’t know what could happen.”

Some fans are excited about the 2010 Giants because they feel that this team is easier to identify with than past Giants’ teams, contrasting sharply with the media circus days of Barry Bonds and his movie star persona.

Walter Alvarado, classified staff member for La Voz, likes the Giants’ camaraderie and thinks it propels them to win.

“I enjoy that this team is a team,” Alvarado said. “That’s what’s missing in sports nowadays, and they got the momentum and everything is lined up for them to go all the way.”

Even though die-hard Giants fans are enthusiastic about the team’s success, general baseball fans are rooting for the Giants to do well in the World Series as well.

Matt Guevara, a first-year undecided major, does not have a favorite baseball team, but watched all their playoff games and hopes the Giants can win the World Series.

“I don’t have a particular team I root for, but I love baseball,” Guevara said. “As a baseball fan, I want to see the Giants do well because I think their scrappy style of play and their display of teamwork is good for the game.”

Alex Mendiola, third-year public relations major, enjoys the thrill of Giants baseball so much that he hopes the Giants win the World Series in seven games, the maximum number of games the series can have.

“I love excitement,” Mendiola said. “I want everyone on their tippy toes, so I predict the Giants will win in seven.”

The World Series begins Wednesday night, and fans will be ready to cheer the Giants on, no matter how much torture their team will make them endure.